Road to destruction

We cannot hand over our fragile hills and mountains to contractors and bulldozer drivers.

Haphazard road-building in Nepal’s mountainous and hilly regions, some of which criss-crossing national parks and protected areas, is causing irreparable damage to the communities and the environment. Landslides triggered by gully erosion and unengineered slopes have killed people and swept properties and infrastructure. In the past few years, the frequency of these hazards has increased and exposed people to unpredictable risks. Still, local governments continue to disregard engineering and environmental principles in the race to connect towns and villages, including in remote and pristine areas, where scientists have warned that a slight disturbance in the ecosystem could cause disastrous events.